Capoeira de Toad

Summary: X23 discovers the Brazilian art of Capoeira accidentally from none other than...Toad? As she discovers the unique style of fighting, other explorations of life come along with this new friendship.

Chapter 1

...Capoeira de Toad?

X23 quietly walked on the road side walk of Bayville, the light drizzling rain matting her hair against her jacket and face. It felt odd to be a treated like a normal person, without having an ulterior motive.

It had been a three months since Apocalypse had been and month since X23 showed up on the X-Mansion doorstep. It had been awkward at first, with people being kind to her and she had gotten used to eventually, and she soon began to try and live like a normal person.

And right now, she was heading to the mall to meet up with Rouge and Kitty to go and see a movie. She and Rouge had bonded particularly easily because they both respected each other's privacy. Kitty was nice too, always doing what she could to make X23 feel involved with what she was doing.

And even though both had offered to lend her clothes, X23 had politely declined Kitty's and stuck with what Rouge had given her. The bright colors were not her particular favorite and the clothes reveal too much for her liking. Rouge's clothes at least allowed her to conceal herself.

But tonight she was wearing wheat she had worn for so many years and truth be told, it was a lot less complicated than the styles everyone else wore. As she walked down the street, paused as a sound tickled her ears and looked around.

Zum , zum , zum , capoeira mata um

Zum , zum , zum , capoeira mata um

She often heard a lot of things due to her hyper keen senses, so she wondered where this odd sound was coming from. The voices were definitely wonderful and had a unique blend to them with a definite South American aura in the words. The drum beat carefully work up with the words.

Bahm…Bah -ba-ba Bahm…Bah –ba-ba Bahm…bah –ba-ba Bahm

It was a drumbeat, a large drum by the sounds of it. X23 looked around and saw an open window by a large building, shadow figures moving across the windows in a burly secession

It was very fast paced in rhythm and after one said the words a chorus of people spoke a come back were so beautiful and well mixed, it was enchanting to hear. Of course, X23 had never heard a variety of style of music and was being introduced to them.

But this, this sound and music; it was beautiful.

Zum , zum , zum , capoeira mata um

Zum , zum , zum , capoeira mata um

X23 hesitated for a moment before heading over to the music and the whirling figures. She can catch to Kitty and Rouge in no time and she knows enough short cuts to beat them to the movie theatre.

No tempo da escravidao, ja jogava o pe pro ar, zum zum zum

Zum , zum , zum , capoeira mata um

Zum , zum , zum , capoeira mata um

She saw the door was slightly ajar and after going inside a bit, she saw another door ajar. X23 opened the door a bit more and blinked in fusion at the site. It was nothing she had every seen before and startled her that people could be that graceful, nearly as good as her.

Two guys were flying around in the air, the shorter one doing several handless cartwheels on the spot while the older man did several back flips. Both landed in odd crouches and began to move from side to side in an odd way, their bodies kept low to the ground as they swayed around

The boy was definitely a mutant, his appearance a very much dead give away to what he was. He wore long white pant with a black and red patch on his left thigh and had his long green hair tied back, but this left his entire upper body exposed. And every inch of his skin was a light green color and his nice slightly toned muscles, not the buffed out kind men seemed to always try developing.

She knew he was a member of the Brotherhood but for some strange reason she couldn't remember his name. Then again, the only one she really knew was Lance and that was because he dated Kitty. But he definitely looked familiar.

The other person was a black man, who X23 recognized as one of the teachers at Bayville High named Otrero Smith. He wore the same kind of pants except he had a rope around his waist, half was red and half was yellow. His head had a fairly close cut and he had a beard around his chin, his mustache neatly trimmed. He didn't wear a shirt either and his body was definitely built like a truck.

Mr. Smith had had come from a small island in the Pacific Ocean called Bermuda at the beginning of the year and was teaching Art and Mechanics. He had been exceptionally understanding of X23 and her predicament, even if he didn't know the whole or the true story.

X23 watched their movements, the green boy particularly since he was the closest and it was easier to see what he was doing.

The green boy had his left leg extended behind him, the knee slightly bent and the foot only on the balls of his toes. His right leg was in front of him and bent as well, obviously supporting the main weight. His back was leaning forward, instead of being upright, and his left arm was extended back, his right arm across the front of him.

X23 frowned as he brought his right leg up, should width apart but level with his left foot. As he moved his leg, his arms crossed in front of him and his back stayed impressively straight in a crouched position. For some reason when she saw his bare back and shoulder blades flex with the movement, a strange heat rose up in her cheeks.

The moment his hands and feet stopped moving, his left leg and arm move to the positions that the right ones had been in before. The transitions from side to side slowly increased in speed until it was in beat with the beat of the drum, the movement exceptionally smooth.

The Mr. Smith who was doing the same as the green boy when suddenly he altered what he was doing, his movements just as smooth. When he stepped up his left leg, the black man lifted his right leg and swung out in a kick at the boys head. X23 tensed up as the boy stopped in the crouched position.

The boy suddenly did a handless cartwheel to the side over the attack and spun around to the right, both hands touching the ground. As he turned on the ground, his right leg was pulled up and his heel lashed out at the man's head. The man's leg had stepped back onto the ground.

Suddenly all thoughts of meeting up at the mall were gone from X23's mind.

As the green boy's limb came close, the older man turned to the side and lowered his body down in a deep crouch while the green boys attack went clear over his head. The boy came back up and resumed the movement X23 had previously seen earlier. Standing up, Mr. Smith pulled his back up behind the front leg and the unmoved leg suddenly curved around the front of body.

The green boy had his left leg behind him and he simply shifted his body back and knelt down in a squat, his right leg out in front of him. He suddenly pushed off the ground with his left leg and flipped completely around into a standing position.

Spinning with his left leg raised, the green boy leapt into the air with his and bent his left leg. His right leg then flew around and his body spun around, thrusting the flying limb at Mr. Smith's face. With his leg in the strange moving stance they used, he simply stopped on the side he was on and dropped down.

Mr. Smith suddenly gave a great whoop of laughter as the boy landed. X23 watched carefully as Mr. Smith stood up and boy gave a goofy grin to his partner. It seemed that Mr. Smith and this Brotherhood member had a particularly good friendship.

"I told you I got that I got the martelo rotado move down, yo." The 'Hood boy said, his laid back voice not matching his hard working attitude. "Not bad since I started about six months, a year ago."

"Well, once you get the basic ginga and the negitivas it's all pretty darn easy, eh Sapo?" Otero said, ruffling the kid's hair.

"Hey, I had those moves down pretty quickly, yo; despite the hassle ginga gave me, I think I'm doing pretty damn good." The green boy who was addressed as Sapo said, rolling his arm in his socket. "I'll be as good as you soon and then I'll be able to take the belt tests."

"Yeah, kid, you're doing pretty darn good. Now I have to go, before I miss my dinner." Otero said as he walked over to a pile of things. "You gonna stay here and lock up for me or you going to take off as well."

"Nah, I'll stay, Otero." Sapo said as he stretched his back behind him, causing X23's face to heat up again. "I want to do some more practicing before I head home, yo."

"Okay, just give me the keys and my CD in the morning." Mr. Smith said as he hefted a pair of pants over the ones he was wearing and pulled a long sleeved shirt over his head.

Sapo, X23 severely doubted that was his name. Or at she hoped it wasn't his name, as she watched him walk over to the stereo and pressed a button a few times. When he selected the song, he waited as he listened to twang of a metal cord and bobbed his head to the rhythm of the instrument.

Vou dizer pra minha mulher,Paraná

Capoeira me venceu, Paraná

Paraná ê, Paraná ê, Paraná

Ela que bateu o pé firme, Paraná

Isso não acontecer, Paraná

Paraná ê, Paraná ê, Paraná

As the drum beat rolled up, the singers came up again and the song was just as lively as the one that had led X23 to the training ground. Sapo sudden did a flourish of back-flips along the floor and finished by leaping into an aerial back-flip. He landed in the strange position with his right leg back this time.

X23 watched as Mr. Smith finished getting dressed and picked a large backpack, heading to the door she was looking through. She quickly stepped to the other side of the door and crouched down as the older man walked out. X23's dark clothes allowed her to blend in the shadows, but Mr. Smith barely glanced around as he left.

The door stayed open and X23 slowly moved into the room, the one called Sapo with his back to her. If he stood up, he would have been her height pretty easily. Now that she was closer X23 could see his back was glistening in hard earned sweat and his long hair stuck to his shoulders as he swayed confidently.

The boy suddenly turned slightly to the side and squatted down, his right leg bent right under him while his left was slightly bent in front of him. His left arm was level in front of his head, which was tilted to the side, and his right hand was flat against the floor.

He rolled over his outstretched leg and was going to get up when he saw X23, his whole body freezing when he saw her. His amber eyes narrowed as he stood crouched there, his right arm across his body while left arm was bent by his side.

"What…the hell are you doing here, X-Geek?" He sneered while standing slowly, his throat bobbing.

X23 raised an eyebrow; he wasn't the politest of people but then she had just snuck up him, so it wasn't like his annoyance wasn't unexpected. Neither moved from their spot and X23 decide she might as well as answer his question.

"Heard the music on the street and came to see what it was." X23 said calmly, while Sapo looked at her in confusion.

X23 gave a slight nod at hearing her new name and found slight happiness that she recognized by it. She and Logan had gone through several names before she decided on Laura. She loved the way it sounded when certain people said it.

X23 nodded her head toward the stereo; while she was here she might as find out what he was doing.

"What were you doing just now?" She asked, her body stance never changing.

"What if I make it my business? Or should I ask you teammates what you doing here?" X23 challenged the panic spreading over his face.

"Don't ask them, I don't want them knowing about this." He pleaded.

"Then tell me what you were doing, Sapo." She snapped, her eyes narrowing at him as she used his supposed name. "That is if that is your name."

"No, my name's Todd, yo." He said with a sigh, X23 finally remembering who he was; he was the Toad, the rumored weakest member of the Brotherhood. "And what I was doing, it's called Capoeira."

X23 blinked at the name. She had never heard of anything called that and by the looks of it, she really should have. It was definitely impressive and graceful in way she had never seen, but it was odd because everyone said that Toad wasn't that well coordinated.

She remembered that Toad possessed superhuman strength in his legs but what he had been doing had required skill, skill he had obviously been taught by Mr. Smith. He was also a more fit than he ever appeared in school, X23 finding an odd urge to stare at his rising chest.

"Capa-what?" She asked in confusion, the name difficult to say.

Todd rolled his eyes and rubbed his hand across his brow, whipping some of the sweat from his boyish face. She knew he was studying her, just as she had been studying him and because of that, she let his eyes wander over her

"Ca-po-ei-ra; it's a Brazilian martial art, yo, and probably one of the hardest styles to master but one of the strongest and most dangerous forms of fighting." Toad explained.

"Doesn't look like a strong style; looks more like a dance actually." X23 scoffed.

"It was disguised as dance, by slaves from Africa that went to Brazil, yo. It makes people underestimate the art."

X23 nodded in understanding how it would work and that considering that he had the acrobatics to back up the kicks, plus the timing he had shown earlier, it would defiantly be an interesting match up.

The CD stopped and the background music disappeared; now just leaving them with the sound of rain pattering against the windows. X23 silently wished that the music was back on as Toad looked at the stereo, the unique music quiet pleasant to hear.

"So, you want to show me how effective Capoeira is?" X23 asked, her hands resting on her hips.

"What, yo?" Toad asked in confusion as he turned back to her.

"Fight me so I can see how good it is." X23 challenged with a slight smile, he hands unzipping her jacket and taking it off. "I severally doubt it would be good enough to beat me."

X23 was only were a sleeveless shirt that fit her body nicely, showing off her curves and her long pants were a bit better but still showed her off. The only thing that wasn't revealing in anyway, was her boots.

Toad tensed his body, his bare chest flexing slightly as he watched her take off her jacket. His bare feet shifted slightly on the ground as their eyes met and he watched far more closely then shoe could. X23 like a good fight every now and again, but as of late she hadn't been finding a challenge at the X-Mansion.

"Is there a reason your so hell bent on fighting, yo?" Todd asked as she rolled her shoulder and shrugged at his question.

"Just like to have a good fight every once in a while, just to see were I stand in skill"

Todd nodded and sighed, letting his body go back into its eternally moving stance while X23 just raised her arms. It was a little odd to see him moving so fluidly from one side to other and even though he was crouched low to the ground in his stance, he managed to keep perfect eye contact.

X23 suddenly stepped forward and kicked at Todd's head, the green boy leaning away from kick. Squatting position looked like a horse stance and his head tilted to the side with his right arm, his left extended behind his back. It was an odd dodging technique but it did move his body completely out of her foot's path.

Toad suddenly spun to the other side and slammed one hand on the ground, his right leg flying around to her head like a blur. The movements were so fast, the she didn't have the time get her arm up in time or step far enough away and his heel collided with her metal skull.

X23 went skidding on the floor, the force from his kick strong enough to lift the cloned mutant off her, and just stared at Todd. He had spun back around and was moving back and forth again, looking worriedly at X23.

X23 threw a fast jab at Todd's head and when he leaned away from it, she brought her opposite knee up at his face. Todd easily did an aerial back flipped from her striking range and when her leg came around in a side kick, Todd did a handless cartwheel over it.

Growling with rage, X23 spun around to face him again and thrust her foot at Todd's shoulder. Spreading his arms, Todd dropped down into his squatting stance and as her foot went over his arm, he placed his left foot behind hers.

He suddenly stood up and lifted her leg up, putting her off balance with her other leg bending over his. His left forearm suddenly whipped against her face, sending her toppling to the ground.

X23 lay on the ground for a moment and then rolled back onto her hands, flipping her body up. As she stepped back, Todd finally went on the offensive. His right foot arched around the front of his body and just missed her head as it flew around. The limb touched the ground and Todd twisted around with a spin kick that kick catch her across the face.

As X23 went staggering back, Todd flipped into a handstand and spun around on his hands. Suddenly his feet began to kick her head and shoulder in a flourish of blows; bending one leg down, he smashed his foot against her chest and sent her back.

He pushed doff one hand that sent his body spinning on one hand and landed in crouch, moving back to his moving stance. He then jumped in the air and twisted his hips around and clipped both feet across her face, landing on his feet as he landed.

X23 now roared with anger and ejected her claws from hands, the bright blades glistening. She slashed at Todd and growled in frustration as the boy dropped to the ground and rolled away. Dropping to the ground and slashing, X23 went jaw slack as Todd lifted his body up on one hand.

His upper body was horizontal and his left leg was extend along side his body while his right leg was vertically straight, his other straight up as well. He then twisted his body around and smacked her across the face, twice with each leg as he switched arms.

As she lay on her back, Todd lunged on top of her. His shins pressed down on her thighs and he grabbed both her wrist with his right hand, holding her razor sharp blades above his head. Grabbing her shoulder with his left arm, Todd pressed his left forearm across her chest and neck.

She was perfectly pinned.

As X23 stared up at Todd, she could feel his waist pressing to hers and his, strangely pleasant, warm breaths on her cheeks. And despite all the rumors about his smelling disgusting, X23 rather liked the scent he gave off. After a moment, Toad took a deep breath and eased his hold, X23 pulling her claws in her hands slowly while they stared at each other.

He removed his hands from her wrists and shoulder and placed them on either side of her head. Slowly, so he didn't hurt her, Toad lifted his legs off her thighs and placed his feet on either side of her waist.

"I think I won." Todd said softly, picking her up softly and smirked when she was on her feet. "Still think that Capoeira can't beat you?"

"I guess it can and so can you." X23 said, small smile spreading at the sight of Todd's goofy grin.

She watched as he went over to a pile of clothes and began to pull his tattered jean over his white pants. X23 wandered over to the stereo and pressed the play button, a series of string sounds coming out from the speakers. As the music played, X23 found her body swaying on its own accord to make her hips shift from side to side and arm to move around.

Glancing at Todd, her cheeks burned when she saw him smiling broadly at her and her actions. X23 noted he had a short sleeved shirt and his shoes on as he walked over to her and was carrying a CD case.

"I didn't think you would like Brazilian music so much, yo." Todd said, stopping the music and ejecting the CD. "But, then again, that's one of the nice about this martial art; you need to sing and play instruments to fully understand it."

"What language was that in?" She asked, trying to sound offhandedly.

Todd chuckled and handed her a different CD in a plastic sleeve. "Portuguese. Here, this is a particularly good CD, X." He said as he put the other CD away and X23 took the new CD eagerly.

Todd gave chuckle. "Just give it back when you're done with it, yo."

In a few minutes, Todd had all his stuff packed away and was carrying a backpack as he locked up. X23 had her jacket back on and was waiting for him, walking with him to the road. They didn't speak since the silence comfortable between them and kind of serene to X23.

She had never spent this much time with anyone that wasn't from the X-Mansion and had actually enjoyed herself. The short amount of time she had spent with the amphibious mutant actually made X23 question everyone's assumptions about him.

Todd turned to X23 and gave her a curious look when they reached the street.

"Where are you heading, X?" Todd asked kindly.

X23 gave shrug. "I have to meet up with Kitty and Rouge for a movie." She said nonchalantly.

"You want me to go with you, yo?" Todd offered politely.

"Thanks, I but I'm sure I can handle my own." She answered her voice sounding cold, but Todd gave a warm nod.

"See ya at school, Laura." And with that, started running off in the opposite direction and his retreating form slowly disappeared from her sight.

X23 felt an odd urge to go with him, his absence making her feel suddenly cold and she even gave a shiver. Shaking her head, X23 turned and went the other way down the street.

But for the rest of the night, no matter how hard X23 tried, she couldn't get Todd's fighting figure from her mind anymore than she could forget the magical songs she had heard that night and one was still chorusing in her mind.

heavyonbooks:
I admire your creativity. You have written a great piece. I want to promote your Inkitt book for free to my list of newsletter subscribers. If that is alright by you then please email me at exzordersplrwso AT gmail.com to book your spot, thanks.

snowview03:
This is the first book I have read on this app and I loved it! When I read the title I thought about the hunger games, but this novel is so much more. Some book have a comparison between other books that fallow like premises so i will do my own: Arena has the compellingly emotional stresses and t...

KerryMI:
One would think the idea of vampire loving man has been over flogged, yet this story's fresh perspective on Vampires, how they live and how they connect with humans is so effortlessly narrated that it almost becomes truth. Your writing was fast enough to keep me greedily turning each page but slo...

Sonali Srivastava:
It is very Fancinating to read a story full of Fantasy and specially when love is not complete as story , I really like the Imagination of Author and his writing skill, u dictated everything so beautifuly that when I read it I lost in the story and I hope I will read soon the second year of Zakir...

N_F_G:
This story was fantastic! It was really enjoyable, and the characters and locations felt real to me as I read the story! Celeste was an amazing character, who survived all her struggles, and I felt the author did an excellent job writing about suicide and self harm- in a sensitive, authentic mann...

Mary Abigail:
I have always been a serious reader but reading romance has always been an outlet for me to be happy and this, makes me happy. It's entertaining with just enough drama and maybe a bit more - I do need more.

Other Collections

About Us:

Inkitt is the world’s first reader-powered book publisher, offering an online community for talented authors and book lovers. Write captivating stories, read enchanting novels, and we’ll publish the books you love the most based on crowd wisdom.